Obadiah: Accountability in Relationships

By Bob Spender

Introduction and Background

Obadiah has been identified as one of the most neglected of the Minor Prophets, yet this little book, marked by powerful emotions and vivid imagery, records an important message from the Lord. Any investment of time in reading and rereading this book is well spent.

Author

Nothing more is known of Obadiah than what can be gleaned from his book. His name means “Servant of the Lord” (Yahweh), and none of the other eleven Obadiah’s of the Bible appear to be the same individual, although later Jewish tradition identified him as the prophetic protector of Ahab’s reign (1 Kings 18:3–16). Most likely he was from Judah, and he may have witnessed the fall of Jerusalem. If so, his prophecy may well combine prior warnings with a later perspective.

Date

Jerusalem’s destruction is the key event for dating the book, but consideration should also be given to its language, literary links, and location among the Minor Prophets. The ninth century destruction of Jerusalem by the Philistines and Arabs (2 Chron. 21:16–17) or the Babylonian destruction of 586 BC (2 Kings 25:1–17) surface as the most plausible occasions for dating the book. While arguments for both dates can be mustered, the mention of exiles (v. 20) along with references to the past (vv. 11, 15) suggest the Babylonian destruction as the better choice. In addition, Edom’s involvement in the sixth century destruction is clearly attested by Scripture (Ps. 137:7; cf. Lam. 4:21–22), while the nation’s involvement in any ninth century destruction is unknown.

Message

Obadiah spoke to Edom, the survivors of Judah, and the surrounding nations, but like all biblical prophets his message has relevance for God’s people today. More people seem to know that Obadiah is the shortest Old Testament book than what it is about. Primarily the book is about God’s judgment upon Edom for crimes done to his people. In addition, it is about the responsibility of one person to another under the ultimate sovereignty of God.

Structure

The book of Obadiah can be divided into three sections. In the first section (vv. 1–9) the Lord speaks about Edom and to Edom. “Esau” and “Edom” occur five times in these nine verses that are characterized by direct address, as the Lord announces, “I will bring you down,” (v. 4). [1] The next section (vv. 10–14) is marked by the repetition of the phrase “on/in the day” and points to the time when the Edomites rejoiced over the destruction of Israel, even aiding the enemy in that destruction. Finally, the prophet turns from the day of Edom’s guilt to the day of the Lord’s judgment as his message spreads out to encompass all nations in a future time of judgment called the Day of the Lord (vv. 15–21). The twenty-one verses that begin with a report from the Lord end with the reminder that the kingdom belongs to the Lord.

Short as it is, the book is marked by repetitions, linking particles, and pronouncements of authority like “says the Lord,” (vv. 4, 8), all of which help to indicate the limits of each section. Key particles include the use of אם (im, “though,” or “if,” vv. 4, 5) and כִּי (ki, “for,” or “because,” vv. 15, 16) as well as the interrogative particle יךְ (ek, “how,” vv. 5, 6). Other rhetorical features are Obadiah’s use of questions and the motif of reversal.

Obadiah and Jeremiah

Much has been written on the close parallels between Obadiah 1–9 and Jeremiah 49:7–16. Certainly some interesting observations can be made linguistically and rhetorically, but little can be gleaned that is definitive for dating the book. Scholars continue to debate the priority of Obadiah or Jeremiah, and some hold to a dependency upon a third source, or even a common stock of ideas. Yet, in the end analysis, no convincing argument can be adduced to require the dependency of one prophet upon another or even the use of a third source from comparing the two passages. [2]

History of Edom

The biblical history of Edom is a long one beginning with Rebekah’s twins (Jacob and Esau) and extending all the way to Herod’s background as an Idumean. For most of the Scriptural Record, Edom and Israel were at odds with each other. Edom blocked Israel’s passage to the Promised Land (Num. 20:14–21) but, aside from references in the Amarna correspondence and by Ramses III in the 13th century BC, there is little data about Edom during the next few centuries. [3]

During the monarchy, Edom was an active enemy of Israel. Saul fought against Edom (1 Sam. 14:47), and David conquered Edom (2 Sam. 8:13–14; 1 Kings 11:16; 1 Chron. 18:11; and Ps. 60:title). Initially Solomon held control over Edom (1 Kings 9:26–28; 11:1), but Edom later gained a measure of independence (1 Kings 11:14–22).

Edom supported a coalition against Judah in the ninth century (2 Chron. 20:1–2), but their lack of a king suggests that Judah retained some control (1 Kings 22:47), and the independence that they did gain appears to have been of a limited nature (2 Kings 3:9; 8:20–22; 2 Chron. 21:8–10). The eighth century was marked by frequent struggles between Edom and Israel. Amaziah gained control over Edom (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chron. 25:11–12), but Edom raided Judah under Ahaz (2 Chron. 28:17) and took Elath with the help of Aram, regaining control of a major trade connection (2 Kings 16:6).

Assyrian records first mention Edom during the time of Adadnirari III (810–783 BC) and several more times during the eighth century. As a vassal, Edom continued to support Assyria in the next century and, as Millard observes, may have supplied their overlords with large quantities of copper. [4]

Eventually Edom fell under the growing Babylonian umbrella as Nebuchadnezzar expanded his empire. Their gloating over and participation in the fall of Jerusalem provides background for the book of Obadiah.

While the seventh century was the heyday for Edom, they were already feeling the pressure of Arab invaders from the south. Edom’s movement westward into the Negev was to be their final location in the region later known as Idumea. In time, the Edomites were either destroyed by the Babylonians or absorbed by the Nabateans and, as Malachi later noted, the mountains of Esau became a desolation (1:3–4).

The First Section, vv. 1-9

Obadiah’s Vision, v. 1

The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom—We have heard a report from the Lord, And an envoy has been sent among the nations saying, “Arise and let us go against her for battle”—

The briefest opening, “the vision of Obadiah,” marks the shortest prophetic book. Behind the word “vision” (חָזוֹ, hazon) stands God’s revelation. This word, which is most frequently used for a message or a word from the Lord, refers to the whole prophecy of Obadiah. [5] For some scholars the word “vision” only refers to the content of a revelation, but there are indications that it refers to the process as well. [6]

Though brief, the introduction of Obadiah is not easily interpreted. The message is from the Lord, but to whom does the Lord speak? Is it directly to Edom or to Judah concerning Edom? And what is the essence of the report? Who hears the report (“we have heard”), and who rises to act (“let us go”)? Who is the messenger that brings the report, the prophet or another? Answers to these and similar questions are best sought from the context.

The preservation of Obadiah in the Canon reminds us that the intended audience is the people of Judah, and the book deals especially with the suffering of Jerusalem. Whether Obadiah uses an editorial “we” or includes himself with his people makes little difference, since the message is intended for a greater audience. [7] God’s message is a witness to Edom, the recipient of his judgment, as well as to the nations who are his tool of judgment, but ultimately his message is directed to his own people. Most likely, Obadiah includes his people who have already heard messages against Edom. [8]

The Nations

The nations are introduced early in the book, not only to emphasize the sovereignty of God but also to anticipate Edom’s representative role among the nations. [9] Nations obey God because of his sovereignty, yet in their actions they are accountable to him. The Lord stirred up the nations by sending them an envoy. Since this term (צִיר, sir) is used of unnamed messengers, it may speak more of God’s sovereign direction than a specific individual. In response the nations moved against Edom.

Just who these nations are we are not told, since the emphasis is upon God who moves them. Perhaps this is why Obadiah uses the title “Lord God” for the Lord. It combines the name Yahweh with another of God’s names, Adonai (אֲדֹנָי יהוה). The combination (Lord Yahweh) essentially stands for his sovereignty, or as the NIV translates it, “Sovereign Lord.”

Opening Announcement, v. 2

Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you are greatly despised.

Though rarely used in modern speech, the word “behold” (הִךְנּה, hinneh, NIV “see”) quickly and boldly introduces the Lord’s announcement. Edom will be made small as a result of God’s judgment. More than size is at stake here, as the word covers the idea of insignificance. [10] God, not the nations, will humble Edom. [11] It is a startling announcement! “Behold, I will make you small among the nations”! Even Edom’s reputation will be affected, for she will be despised by the nations.

The word “despised” (בָּזוּי, from the root bzh) communicates an attitude of contempt and speaks of a negative relationship between people. Goliath despised David (1 Sam. 17:42), Nehemiah was despised by local leaders (2:19), and the Servant of the Lord was despised by humanity (Isa. 53:3). Just as Esau despised (bzh) his birthright (Gen. 25:34), so now, Edom, the ancestor land, will be despised (bzh).

Obadiah develops the Lord’s announcement in the remainder of this section (vv. 3–9) by providing four examples of Edom’s arrogance and self-sufficiency. The four areas, her location (vv. 3–4), resources (vv. 5–6), alliances (v. 7), and wisdom (vv. 8–9), are mingled with the Lord’s affirmation of judgment (vv. 4, 8).

Four Examples of Edom’s Arrogance and Self-sufficiency, vv. 3–9

Pride of Location, vv. 3–4

“The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in the loftiness of your dwelling place, who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to earth?’ Though you build high like the eagle, though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord.

Pride is an inner attitude that affects one’s decisions (Prov. 11:2; 16:18). Edom’s pride fostered an attitude of invulnerability. Situated among the hills south of the Dead Sea, Edom’s strategic location along a major trade route between Damascus and Egypt provided the nation with commercial access and excellent defenses against outside aggression. Obadiah captures the nature of Edom’s inner arrogance with the rhetorical question, “Who will bring me down to earth?”

The deceptive nature of pride is accentuated by the double occurrence of the word “heart” (ב, leb) in this verse. Obadiah portrays Edom as convincing themselves (“saying in his heart”) that they were safe from any attack. But this is often the way of pride. It blinds the heart, clouds the decision-making process, and makes the subtle substitution of self for God.

Two metaphors linked by repeated אם (im, “though/if,”) clauses precede the Lord’s answer and accentuate his sovereignty. Even if Edom’s location is in the sky (“like the eagle”) or in the remote heavens (“among the stars”), it cannot not transcend God. Scripture attests to the omnipresence of the Lord, whose presence is inescapable (Ps. 139:7–9). The contrast is heightened when we understand that the eagle is often a picture of strength and freedom in Scripture, while the nest is a figure of safety (Job 39:27–28). [12] Using the same verb in Edom’s question (יָרַד, yarad, “to go down”) the Lord answers Edom and affirms his initial announcement. He will bring Edom down. Edom’s trust in her location was falsely placed. At this point Obadiah’s announcement to Edom was also a reminder to Judah of the ultimate sovereignty of the Lord.

Frequent admonitions concerning pride in Scripture remind believers of all ages about the subtly of this sin. A moment of self-examination in this area may ward off the dangers of self-exaltation just around the bend. Consider, too, Peter’s reminder of God’s perspective of pride (1 Pet. 5:5–6).

Pride of Wealth, vv. 5–6

If thieves came to you, if robbers by night—O how you will be ruined!—would they not steal only until they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave some gleanings? O how Esau will be ransacked, and his hidden treasures searched out!

The prophet next reminds Edom of the vulnerability of her possessions. Two possible sources for Edomite wealth were trade and copper mining. Ore from Feinan near the Wadi Arabah provided Edom with copper that was most likely headed for the Assyrian market. [13] In addition, Edom’s strategic location on the King’s Highway provided her with ample opportunities for trade. Edomite goods are mentioned in Ezekiel 27:15, while Amos 1:6 and 9 allude to Edomite trade with Tyre and the Philistines. Pride of wealth was certainly linked to pride of location.

Again using the conjunction אם (im, “though/if,”), the prophet introduces two hypothetical situations. Both situations evoke images of removal. The first the work of thieves is negative, while the second the work harvesters is positive. But here, rhetorical questions serve to accentuate the degree of Edom’s judgment. Thieves steal goods but leave some items due to limited time or lack of value. Even harvesters leave some fruit for those less fortunate when gathering in their crops, but this will not be the case for Edom. By God’s direction, the enemy will leave nothing. Edom will be thoroughly plundered.

To conclude his point, Obadiah combines an expression of astonishment (יךְ, ek, “how”) with two verbs in parallel. The first verb (חָפַשׂ, hapas, “search out, ransack”) implies intense scrutiny while the second (בָּעָה , ba’ah, “search out, inquire”) adds emphasis to the process. [14] No secret place, even in the clefts of the rock, will be good enough to hide. Edom’s treasure, a reference to things and people, will not escape the enemy’s hand.

Pride in Alliances, v. 7

All the men allied with you will send you forth to the border, and the men at peace with you will deceive you and overpower you. They who eat your bread will set an ambush for you. (There is no understanding in him.)

Pride shifts attention from God to self, which causes blindness leading to deception. Edom seems to have developed a false sense of security with her allies, and this was a weakness that God used for her destruction. [15]

In verse seven Obadiah notes the treacherous turn from friendship to hostility with a threefold description of Edom’s allies. They are colorfully described as “the men of your covenant,” “the men of your peace” [literal translation], and the ones who eat “your bread.” Each phrase finds some parallel in ancient Near Eastern customs. By using the word “covenant” (בְּרִית, berit) Obadiah is pointing to the strength of the agreement between Edom and her allies. International treaties leading to political coalitions were prevalent in the ancient Near East, and Edom seems to have been no exception. They were proud of their alliances and thought themselves to be secure because of their friends.

The second phrase, “the men at peace with you,” evokes an image of security. Those in alliance with Edom were bringing messages of peace while they were plotting Edom’s demise. The great Hammurabi, for example, built his empire using deceptive alliances. [16] Human promises are only as good as their resources or intentions, which is why Scripture continually reminds us that our trust should be in the Lord, not in humankind (Ps. 118:8–9, 14; 146:3; Prov. 3:5–6).

More difficult is the third description of Edom’s allies. The phrase simply reads “your bread,” but as reflected in English translations it means much more. Translations that take “your bread” (לַחְמְךָ, lahmeka) as a noun add a verb to the clause (KJV, NASB), while other translations (following the versions) take the phrase as a verb, reading “the ones who eat bread with you,” (NIV). Either way the sense of the passage, especially in light of the parallel phrases, is that Edom’s allies were using political opportunities to trap and turn on Edom.

Suggestions for translating the final phrase of verse seven are numerous. A literal translation, “There is no understanding in it/him,” is followed by the NASB, while other English translations attempt to smooth out the phrase. It apparently refers to Edom’s oblivion to the vulnerability of her position and, as Finley points out, the word “wisdom” (תְּבוּנָה, tebunah) transitions nicely to the next topic. [17]

Pride of Wisdom, vv. 8–9

“Will I not on that day,” declares the Lord, “destroy wise men from Edom and understanding from the mountain of Esau? Then your mighty men will be dismayed, O Teman, so that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.”

Two rhetorical questions introduce the final illustration of Edom’s arrogance. [18] Allusions to Edomite wisdom are found in biblical statements about the sons of the east (1 Kings 4:30), Jeremiah’s parallel passage (Jer. 49:7), and the mention of Teman as the location of Job’s challenger Eliphaz (Job 2:11; 4:1). Some would even suggest an Edomite locus for the book of Job, following the identification of Uz (Job 1:1) with Edom in Lamentations 4:21. Others note skill in copper technology and military strategy as further marks of Edom’s wisdom. [19] Collectively these references illustrate the breadth of Edomite wisdom as ability, counsel, discernment, and technical skill.

While such wisdom is helpful for daily affairs, Edom is put on notice that it will not deliver her in the day of judgment. Wisdom is often seen as the application of knowledge for a helpful resolution. Believers are encouraged to be wise (Matt. 10:16) and to seek wisdom (Prov. 9:10; James 1:5), but always in relationship to God’s ways. Wisdom without God is ultimately shortsighted and foolish (1 Cor. 2:14; 3:19). As our post-modern society claims greater and greater achievements in knowledge, technology, and power, all apart from God, we are in danger of exalting ourselves and following what is ultimately a foolish path.

Introduced in verse eight is the (Lord’s) day, which anticipates the catalog of Edom’s guilt and Judah’s distress (vv. 11–14) as well as the future Day of the Lord (v. 15). Also uniting Obadiah’s prophecy is the reference to the mountain of Esau, a topographical reference that echoes Edom’s pride of location while preparing for the centrality of Mount Zion (vv. 16, 21).

In verse nine a third term (גִּבּוֹר, gibbor) is added to the two terms for wise persons mentioned in verse eight (חָכָם, hakam, תְּבוּנָה, tebunah). gibbor is often used of war heroes. Coupled with each term is a reference to geography. Edom refers to the country, Mount Esau links Edomite topography with her ancestor, and Teman is a term that represents a region in the south. [20] God’s warning was clear. All the planning in the world would not exempt Edom from the coming day of God’s judgment. Their heroes would be dismayed (even shattered) and cut off.

The Second Section, vv. 10-14

Pride and self-reliance fueled the anger that Edom had toward Israel and kept them insensitive to the plight of Jerusalem (cf. Amos 1:11). In a masterful way Obadiah introduces the next section (vv. 10–14) by portraying Edom’s movement from brother to stranger. Edom, the brother of Jacob, is the subject but, when the day arrived, Edom identified with the strangers. Edom acted as a foreigner toward Judah and invoked God’s judgment. One is easily reminded that with God there is no middle ground. We are either for him or against him (Matt. 12:30). Failure to stand with the Lord is to be a stranger to him.

Edom’s Violence, vv. 10–11

Because of violence to your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame, and you will be cut off forever. On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth, and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem—You too were as one of them.

Verses ten and eleven set the stage for a lengthy enumeration of Edom’s crimes. Obadiah begins with the term “violence” (חָמָס, hamas)—to categorize the evils of Edom against her brother Jacob. It is an ugly word! The term represents a collection of evils including the aspirations of the depraved mind (Gen. 6:11; Ps. 11:5; Prov. 13:2) and egregious acts of evil like murder (Gen. 49:5) or sexual crimes (Jer. 13:22). [21]

As a result, Edom would be shamed and cut off. Shame by exposure is frequently applied to cities and lands under God’s judgment (Jer. 13:26; 48:39; Ezek. 23:29; Mic. 1:11). Shame creates tension internally and embarrassment externally, and such would mark the future of Edom. Shame can also point us to our guilt and need before the Lord. Adam and Eve were unashamed though naked in Eden, but they hid from the Lord after they sinned (Gen. 2:25; 3:7). When sin is redefined away from its biblical definition, the true goal of shame is lost, and it becomes a tool to be manipulated by society. “Shame is a serious and destructive consequence of sin but happily, through the gospel, not an irremediable one.” [22]

Balanced structure and biting indictment against Edom mark the rest of this section. Verse eleven begins with a synonymous bicolon that identifies the time (“the day”) of Judah’s plight and Edom’s guilt. The initial indictment, “you stood aloof,” is followed by the mention of strangers moving into Jerusalem and closes with a word of condemnation, “you too were as one of them.” Edom surrounds the strangers and becomes like one of them.

Jerusalem is now identified as the key location of Judah’s distress. Casting lots may have been used by the enemy to determine the time or route of attack. Ancient Near Eastern peoples depended upon many different forms of divination for decision-making, including the casting of lots (Jonah 1:7; Est. 3:7). Israel also used lots but saw it as controlled by the Lord (Prov. 16:33). Mention of Jerusalem’s destruction provides the best clue to Obadiah’s date, and while it is possible that this references an earlier destruction, the Babylonian defeat of 586 BC is the most likely scenario.

Edom’s Condemnation, vv. 12–14

Do not gloat over your brother’s day, the day of his misfortune. And do not rejoice over the sons of Judah in the day of their destruction; yes, do not boast in the day of their distress. Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their disaster. Yes, you, do not gloat over their calamity in the day of their disaster. And do not loot their wealth in the day of their disaster. Do not stand at the fork of the road to cut down their fugitives; and do not imprison their survivors in the day of their distress.

The remainder of this section (vv. 12–14) enumerates the specific crimes of Edom. Links to the previous material are seen in the continued use of the direct address and the use of the word “day.” Repetition of the phrase “in the day” (בְּיוֹם, beyom) and repeated use of a specific form of the Hebrew verb (the jussive) create the feeling that a list of charges are being leveled against God’s opponent, Edom.

Translators have wrestled over correctly rendering the eight verb clauses of this section and have mustered their rendition as evidence for the book’s date. The Hebrew structure (the negative particle אַל (al) plus the jussive) is frequently used for prohibitions. [23] Accordingly, the first of the eight jussives would be translated “Do not gloat” (as is found in the NASB) or “Do not rejoice” (as found in the NIV). Some, however, take the phrases as denunciations, “You should not have gazed” or “Nor should you have rejoiced” as understood by the NKJV. However, given the context where eight clauses are bunched together and are linked with eight temporal statements (in the day), a rhetorical solution seems best. The phrases should be understood as declarations of guilt stated in the form of a prohibition. The prophet emphasizes the degree of Edom’s guilt and the duration of her attitude, if not actions, against Judah. [24]

The first three prohibitions chide the Edomites for an inappropriate attitude against Judah. They rejoiced at the destruction of Jerusalem. By repeating the word “brother,” Obadiah both creates a link to his earlier charge (v. 10) and deepens the guilt of Edom. Edom was happy when Jerusalem fell.

They gazed, [25] they rejoiced, and they even boasted. The first statement (“do not gloat”) seems to echo Obadiah’s accusation that they stood afar off when Jerusalem was destroyed (v. 11), while their boasting affirms the previous accusations of pride.

Edom’s Crimes

The cadence of crimes against Edom begins in earnest at verse 12, and each is anchored temporally to “the day.” This day is defined as a time of intense trial for Judah. Obadiah uses five words to identify the bitterness of this time. ךְנכֶר (neker, “misfortune”), the most uncommon word, occurs elsewhere only in Job 31:3, where it is paralleled with יד (ed, (distress), which is found three times in Obadiah 13. The more common words רָעָה (ra’ah, evil) and אֹד (obed, destruction) derive from common Hebrew roots meaning “to be evil” and “to perish or be destroyed” respectively. The fifth word, צָרָה (zarah, distress), occurs twice at key locations (vv. 12, 14) and is the only term that is not used with a suffix (personal pronoun). [26]

Obadiah 13 continues to list the crimes of Edom using three parallel statements, each ending with the phrase “in the day of their disaster” (בְּיוֹם ידָם, beyom edam). All three phrases illustrate Edom’s active participation in Judah’s calamity. Edom enters (v. 13a) and loots (v. 13c) Jerusalem. The verb in the middle phrase, “do not gloat, or look, or gaze,” (v. 13b) is the same verb as in the previous verse (אַל־רֶא, al tere), where Edom stood afar and “gloated.” Now they are active participants viewing the spoils of Jerusalem from inside the city. The second or middle phrase further emphasizes the guilt of Edom by adding the pronoun “you” (גַּם־אַתָּה, gam attah), as brought out by the NASB rendition, “Yes, you, do not gloat over their calamity.” One can almost feel the movement created by the prophet who envisions Edom entering the city and gazing at the disaster caused by the Babylonians just before looting Jerusalem’s wealth themselves. By such actions they affirmed that they were just like a foreigner to Jerusalem.

Concluding the list of Edom’s crimes (v. 14) is the charge concerning their inhumane treatment of Israel’s refugees. Survivors who fled toward Edom using local trade routes were either cut down (killed) or captured and surrendered (סָגַר, sagar) to other nations. [27] Edomite slave trade is well documented by the prophet Amos (1:6, 9).

Human nature often finds enjoyment in the trial of others, while true love “is not jealous,” “is not arrogant,” and “does not seek its own” (1 Cor. 13:4–5). Christians should support brothers and sisters in the Lord by seeking their good. Scripture teaches that we are to bear each other’s burdens (Gal. 6:2) and seek to edify others (Rom. 14:19) while following the model of Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:3–5).

The Third Section, vv. 15-21

The third part of the book (vv. 15–21) shifts from Judah’s day to the Day of the Lord as the prophet envisions God’s ultimate resolution for his people. Obadiah also signals this shift by using the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki, “for” or “because”) in verses fifteen and sixteen. [28] No longer is the little land of Edom the main focus of his message; instead it expands to global proportions. Additional links to the previous material can be seen in the repetition of key words like “nations” (vv. 15, 16) and “mountain(s)” (vv. 16, 17, 19, 21).

The Day of the Lord, v. 15

For the day of the Lord draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.

Obadiah has been preparing for this announcement about the Day of the Lord. A vague reference to it first occurs at verse eight. More specificity is found in verse eleven, where the day of Judah’s distress is juxtaposed with the day of Edom’s guilt. Then the tension increases as Obadiah ties Edom’s crimes to Judah with the rapid repetition of the word “day” in verses twelve to fourteen. Having set the stage, Obadiah announces the nearness of the Day of the Lord. Until this point every mention of “the day” has been bound in the phrase “in the day,” (בְּיוֹם, beyom). Now “the day” is linked with the Lord and is described as “near.”

As Smith and Page point out, immanence is Obadiah’s first comment about the Day of the Lord, and that was “good news for sixth-century Judah with its implications of reversal for their plight.” [29] The Day of the Lord announces global accountability before God. Stress on its immanence portends fear for God’s enemies (Isa. 2:10–11; 13:6–7; Amos 5:18–20) but engenders hope for those who seek the Lord (Joel 2:31–32; Zeph. 2:3). People caught in the fall of Jerusalem undoubtedly felt that the Day of the Lord had arrived, but such disasters only warn of a greater future Day of the Lord.

God’s dealing with Edom served as a warning to the nations. Their ill-treatment of God’s people would return upon them. This boomerang effect is found in other places of Scripture, including Isaiah 3:9 and Galatians 6:7. It is an appropriate reminder that we often cause many of our own problems (James 1:13–14) and that the repentance God desires is truly the best way (1 John 1:9), especially in our relationships (Matt. 5:13–14; 18:15, 21–22).

God’s Wrath, vv. 16–17

Because just as you drank on My holy mountain, all the nations will drink continually. They will drink and swallow and become as if they had never existed. But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions.

Drinking the cup of God’s wrath is a frequent picture in the Bible. Finley points to the custom of drinking by looters, but after a long siege this may not be the case. A more appropriate picture is the victory celebration held by Edom and the nations. [30]

Repetition of the verb “to drink” (שָׁתָה, satam) in verse 16 involves three forms of the verb (perfect, imperfect, and converted perfect) lending emphasis to the prophet’s point. It may also mimic the concept of swallowing, the speed of which is heightened by the assonance found in the last three verbs (וְשָׁתוּ וְלָעוּ וְהָיוּ, wesatu welau wehayu). [31] The nations will drink from the wrath of God and not be able to stop. Isaiah’s portrayal of such wrath sees people seeking caves and holes in which to hide from the terror of the Lord’s majesty (Isa. 2:19, 21). But the nations will not escape; instead they will continue to drink until they are destroyed. Hans Walter Wolf points to the terror of not being able to stop, [32] but one is reminded of the dangers of alcoholism from Proverbs 23:29–35. Like alcoholism, the war machinery of Babylon was habitual. The guilt of the nations, built up by continued rejection of the Lord, will be met with the judgments of God. Page and Smith note the repetition of the passage, suggesting that it points to “wave after wave of God’s punishment.” [33] One is reminded of the tribulation judgments of Revelation 5–10 that will be poured out upon the earth as part of the coming Day of the Lord.

Yet, the Day of the Lord is not a day of destruction for all peoples. Some confusion existed in Israel about the Day of the Lord, and modern scholarship tends to continue the confusion. Apparently, earlier popular teaching held that the Day of the Lord would bring blessing to Israel and judgment to opposing nations. Amos introduced some correction to that view by drawing the lines between the just and the unjust, the righteous and the unrighteous, rather than Israel and the nations (5:18–24). The Day of the Lord, heavily weighted towards judgment upon those who oppose God, does then contain an element of hope for those who seek God.

Reversal is a notable literary feature of this book. It is accentuated in the third section by use of the verb “possess” (יָרַשׁ, yaras, vv. 17, 19, 20). With the help of the Lord, Israel will repossess its territory. This is not a reference to expansion by treaty but a mark of the coming Day of the Lord. [34]

Jacob’s Return, v. 18

Then the house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau will be as stubble. And they will set them on fire and consume them, so that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken.

Continuing to expand on earlier themes, Obadiah moves from brother Jacob to the house of Jacob. Only in Obadiah is the house of Jacob linked with the house of Joseph, and only in Obadiah is mention made of the house of Esau. By referring to Judah and Edom this way the prophet again stresses the original fraternal bond. By linking the house of Joseph with the house of Judah, he anticipates the return of Israel, which is portrayed geographically in verses nineteen and twenty.

But Obadiah speaks of a reversal. Jacob and Joseph (Judah and Israel) become God’s instruments of judgment against Edom. The picture of fire consuming worthless stubble, or chaff, is a picture of God’s judgment in the Bible (Ex. 15:7; Isa. 5:24; 10:17; Mal. 4:1; Matt. 3:12). And just as fire burns dry straw or chaff, so too Edom will be consumed.

So the house of Esau is left with no survivor. The point is seemingly accentuated with the use of שָׂרִיד (sarid, “survivor”) which forms a word pair with פְּיטָה, (peletah “fugitive, escapee”). [35] The two terms, paralleled in verse fourteen, are here separated with one being negated. For those who escape (peletah, v. 17) there is hope on Mt. Zion, but for Edom there will be no survivor (sarid, v. 18).

Judah’s Expansion, vv. 19–20

Then those of the Negev will possess the mountain of Esau, and those of the Shephelah the Philistine plain; also, they will possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead. And the exiles of this host of the sons of Israel, who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the cities of the Negev.

Repossession of contested land is in view. By the sixth century the Edomites were moving into the Negev (the southern region of Judah), which they later possessed. Known as the Idumeans in the Hellenistic period, they lost their national identity by the second century BC. [36] The Shephelah, or lowlands, was a transitional region between the coastal plain and the hills of Judah. The Philistines bordered the Shephelah, at times controlled it, and used it to move inland against Israel. In the future, Judah will repossess the land to their immediate south and west.

Judah will also regain access to the north. Ephraim and Samaria fell to the Assyrians in the eighth century BC. Since Ephraim often represented the Northern Kingdom and Samaria was the capital, this movement may envision a restoration of the northern tribes. A future unity of Israel and Judah is mentioned by other prophets as well (Jer. 33:7; Ezek. 37:22; Zech. 8:13). More interesting is Benjamin’s move into the Transjordan area of Gilead. Gilead was a place of frequent contention for Israel. Ramoth-gilead was often fought over by the kings of Israel and Syria, while Saul delivered Jabesh-gilead from the Amonites (1 Sam. 11:9). The mention of Benjamin at this point is a link to Israel’s first king (Saul), and it may anticipate the return of the tribes. Benjamin frequently cast its lot with Judah.

It is difficult to be specific about Obadiah’s intent for mentioning each location, but the larger picture speaks of Judah’s expansion into contested areas. [37] Obadiah is providing specific examples of Jacob’s repossession of old territories. This further illustrates his earlier observation that “what goes around, comes around” anticipating the unified return of God’s people in the Day of the Lord as stated in verse twenty. Against this backdrop it can be seen that Edom plays a representative role of the nations that opposed God’s people. [38]

The Hebrew of verse twenty is a bit difficult, causing a host of suggestions from commentators and a variety of translations. As the text stands, the verb “will possess” only occurs once, leading to the idea that the exiles of Israel and the exiles of Judah will both possess the cities of the Negev. This understanding is supported by the Masoretic pointing of the text and appears to be chosen by the NASB. It is possible that the verb was gapped (not written, but understood to be read), a well-known feature of Hebrew poetry. In which case, the exiles of Israel possess the north (as far as Zarephath), while the exiles of Judah possess the south. This is the reading of the NKJV and the NIV, and both repeat the verb “possess” in the verse.

In addition, the identification of Sephared is difficult. The older view of Sephared as Spain should be discounted, as it stems from later rabbinical sources. This leaves two suggestions: Sardis in Lydia or Saparda in northern Mesopotamia. [39] Both would see the captives returning from the north, although the Jewish colony at Sardis implies a later Persian date. [40]

The second clause, “who are the Canaanites,” is perhaps best read as it stands in the Massoretic Text. Both the NIV (“exiles living in Canaan”) and NASB (“who are among the Canaanites”) attempt to smooth out the text but, as Jeffrey Niehaus points out, the reference can be taken to mean Israel, just as Isaiah’s phrase, “the language of Canaan” (19:18), refers to Hebrew. [41]

As part of the coming Day of the Lord, Israel and Judah will be returned to their land. They will again possess a land that stretches from the Dead Sea (the Negev and Edom) to the Mediterranean Sea (Philistia) and north toward Mesopotamia (Sephared and Zarephath), including the Transjordan (Gilead). Obadiah’s view is that Judah and Israel will again possess this territory.

The Lord’s Kingdom, v. 21

The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom will be the Lord’s.

Obadiah concludes with a glorious announcement that “the kingdom will be the Lord’s.” By making Edom small among the nations, the Lord was proclaiming his own sovereignty over all nations. Through this brief book he also affirmed his choice of Israel as attested from the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17:2).

In the end Mount Zion is elevated above Mount Esau. The use of Mount Zion speaks of the presence of the Lord, while Mount Esau has consistently been used for Edom. The ending position, then, is not Jacob versus Esau, but the Lord versus Esau (Edom, even the nations). It is, after all, his kingdom and his authority.

In addition to Obadiah’s message of warning to Edom and any who oppose the Lord’s plan, the book is a reminder of the accountability of relationships before the sovereign eye of the Lord. The responsibility of Edom to brother Jacob, and vice versa, is a reminder that believers are accountable in their relationships before the Lord. When no external eye is watching the way we treat one another, the Lord knows and expects a reaction that reflects our relationship with him.

The message of Obadiah reminds us that the Lord is sovereign over all the earth, but it also reminds us that his plan for the future unfolds daily. For the believer this is centered in the person of God’s own Son. John records the announcement of the seventh angel in Revelation, who says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and He will reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15). Yet we also understand from the author of the book of Hebrews that God’s plan for the future is still unfolding in that he writes, “for in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that in not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him” (Heb. 2:8). As believers we can affirm Obadiah’s message about the kingdom of the Lord, but we also can rejoice in the firmness of our present relationship in Christ.

Notes

1. Biblical citations are from the New American Standard Bible, (The Lockman Foundation, 1995) unless otherwise noted.
2. For a more detailed discussion of the arguments see Thomas J. Finley, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, The Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 342–45.
3. See ANET, 488 for the Amarna reference to Seir and ANET, 262 for Ramses’s mention of the “people of Seir.”
4. Millard, Alan, “Assyrian Involvement in Edom,” in Early Edom and Moab; The Beginning of the Iron Age in Southern Jordan, edited by Piotr Bienkowski (Sheffield: J. R. Collins Publications, 1992), 35–39.
5. Compare the introductions of Isaiah (1:1) or Nahum (1:1).
6. F. N. Raabe musters the strongest evidence for limiting hazon (vision) to the content of a revelation, Obadiah, The Anchor Bible (Doubleday, 1996), 95. But references like Numbers 24:15–16; Psalm 89:19 [20]; and Isaiah 29:7, which link the word to a process, suggest that there are overtones as to how Obadiah may have received his message. The cognate verb (חָזָה, hazah), of course, can clearly refer to the process of revelation.
7. Suggestions to change Obadiah’s “we heard” to the singular “I heard” on the basis of the singular in Jeremiah 49:14 or its occurrence in the Septuagint are unnecessary. Obadiah’s plural shows his originality, while the Septuagint probably sought harmonization. Raabe makes the helpful observation that “unlike Jeremiah, who distinguishes himself from the people by using the singular “I,” Obadiah includes Israel in his hearing,” Obadiah, 113, (author’s emphasis).
8. For example, Amos 1:11–12 or Isaiah 21:11–12.
9. B. Dicou, Edom, Israel’s Brother and Antagonist; The Role of Edom in Biblical Prophecy and Story (Sheffield Academic Press, 1994), 26.
10. TWOT 2:795.
11. C. J. Labuschange understands the verb נָתַ (natan, “to give, to make”) with the double accusative as factitive rather than causative, TLOT 2:784.
12. Douglas Stuart, Hosea-Jonah, Word Biblical Commentary (Waco, TX: Word Books, Publisher, 1987), 417.
13. Ernst Axel Knauf-Belleri, “Edom: The Social and Economic History,” in You Shall Not Abhor an Edomite For He is Your Brother; Edom and Seir in History and Tradition, edited by Diana Vikander Edelman (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1995), 113, and Alan Millard, “Assyrian Involvement in Edom,” in Early Edom and Moab, The Beginning of the Iron Age in Southern Jordan, edited by Piotr Bienkowski (Sheffield: J. R. Collis Publications, 1992), 37.
14. HALOT 1:341 and 1:141 respectively. Both verbs are in the Niphal form and while חָפַשׂ is well attested in the Hebrew Bible, בָּעָה has very limited use. Interestingly, the only other occurrence of בָּעָה (although Qal stem) with this sense also occurs in an oracle about Edom, Isaiah 21:12.
15. Many details of Edomite politics are still unknown. An alliance for slave trade with Tyre and the Philistines is attested by Amos (1:6, 9), and Sennacherib listed Edom with a Philistine (Ashdod) coalition, ANET, 287. Edom seems to have been an ally of Syria in recovering Elath and supported Rezin’s anti-Assyrian coalition, see Miller and Hayes, A History of Ancient Israel and Judah (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1986), 325, and Kenneth G. Hoglund, “Edomites,” in Peoples of the Old Testament World, edited by Alfred J. Hoerth, Gerald L. Mattingly, and Edwin M. Yamauchi (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994), 339. Edom was a vassal to Assyria, but Bartlett notes that this alliance helped Edom against the encroaching Arabians who eventually displaced Edom from their territory, “The Moabites and Edomites,” in Peoples of Old Testament Times, edited by D. J. Wiseman (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1773), 240.
16. Marc Van De Mieroop, A History of the Ancient Near East, ca. 3000–323 BC (Blackwell Publishing, 2004), 97–98.
17. Finley, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, 361.
18. Verse eight piles up some strong discourse markers. First is the interrogative particle, which is in an emphatic position, followed by the temporal phrase “in that day” and the authority phrase “says the Lord” (נאֻם־יהוה, neum YHWH). All of this is then bound to the following clause by the waw consecutive plus a second interrogative particle.
19. Ernst Axel Knauf-Belleri, “Edom,” 113, and Leslie C. Allen, The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1976), 153.
20. Often thought to be the city of Tawilan, recent suggestions understand Teman as referring to a region of Edom in the south; See Finley, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, 362, or Ehud Ben Zvi, A Historical-Critical Study of the Book of Obadiah (New York: Walter De Gruyter, 1996), 123
21. Observations on the word חָמָס (violence) have been summarized by Raabe, Obadiah, 169. For the Jeremiah reference see J. A. Thompson, The Book of Jeremiah (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1980), 373.
22. “Shame,” Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, Tremper Longman III, editors, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 781.
23. Bruce K. Waltke and M. O’Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990), 567.
24. Raabe, Obadiah, 177–78, makes a clear case for such a translation.
25. The verb רָאָה basically means to look or watch but here seems to have the idea of watching with an evil intent, hence the translation, “to gloat.”
26. The five words can be found in HALOT; ךְנכֶר, 2:77, יד, 1:39; רָעָה, 3:1252, אָבַד, 1:2, and צָרָה, 3:1053.
27. One clear sense of the verb סגר (sgr, Hiphil) is the idea of surrendering someone over to the enemy, HALOT, 2:743.
28. The particle כִּי, often taken as a conjunction, here introduces two causal clauses (Waltke and O’Connor, Biblical Hebrew Syntax, 640). Earlier attempts to rearrange the text as promoted, for example by Leslie C. Allen (Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah, 159), are really unnecessary. Defense for reading the MT as it stands has been provided by Johan Renkema, Obadiah, Historical Commentary on the Old Testament (Leuven: Peeters, 2003), 184–85.
29. Franklin S. Page and Billy K. Smith, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 196.
30. Finley, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, 371, Page and Smith, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, 197. See also the lengthy discussion on the metaphor of the cup of God’s wrath by Raabe, Obadiah, 206–42.
31. Jeffrey Niehaus calls attention to the sound pattern (ā-û) of the last three verbs, all (converted) perfects, but holds it is a “simple rounding off of thought,” “Obadiah,” in The Minor Prophets, An Exegetical & Expository Commentary, edited by Thomas Edward McComiskey, 2 vols. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993), 2:536.
32. Hans Walter Wolff, Obadiah and Jonah, A Commentary, trans. Margaret Kohl (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1986), 65.
33. Page and Smith Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, 197.
34. Finley, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, 374.
35. Raabe, Obadiah, 187.
36. Carl Amerding provides a helpful summary of this period, “Obadiah” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1985), 7:354–55.
37. The verb (יָרַשׁ, yaras, “possess”) only occurs twice in verse 19, in the first and third clauses. Most translations supply the verb in the second and fourth clauses on the principle of gapping (see comments at verse 20). Due to the economy of language, questions have been raised about who is possessing what in this verse.
38. A classic statement of this is by Marten Woudstra, “Edom and Israel in Ezekiel,” Calvin Theological Journal 3 (1968): 21-35. See also Finley, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, 351.
39. D. J. Wiseman, “Sepharad,” in the New Bible Dictionary, third edition, edited by J. D. Douglas (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 1076–77.
40. Finley, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, 377.
41. Niehaus, “Obadiah,” 540.